Image navigation apparatus and method

Abstract

A graphical user interface (“GUI”) for managing a set of images is described comprising: a thumbnail region for displaying a first group of thumbnail images; a highlight element to highlight a specified one of the first group of thumbnail images responsive to user input; and a navigation map positioned adjacent to the thumbnail region for graphically displaying an indication of the particular thumbnail image currently being highlighted and further graphically displaying a positional relationship between the first group of thumbnail images and a second group of thumbnail images not currently displayed in the thumbnail region.

1 . A graphical user interface (“GUI”) for managing a set of images comprising:
 a thumbnail region for displaying a first group of thumbnail images;   a highlight element to highlight a specified one of said first group of thumbnail images responsive to a user input device;   a selection graphic associated with each of said thumbnail images to indicate which of said images have been selected by a user, wherein said selection graphic appears within and/or substantially proximate to said thumbnail image as a consequence of said user's action to highlight said thumbnail image and said selection graphic contains information specific to said highlighted thumbnail image including at least a graphical check box which may be selectively checked or unchecked by said user; and   a navigation map positioned adjacent to said thumbnail region for graphically displaying:
 an indication of a plurality of groups of thumbnail images, each group of said plurality discernable from one another and displayable in said thumbnail region at one time, said plurality of groups including:
 said first group of thumbnail images displayed on said thumbnail region; and 
 a second group of thumbnail images that are not currently displayed in said thumbnail region; 
 
 an indication of a particular thumbnail image currently being highlighted; 
 an indication of particular thumbnail images currently selected by said user; and 
 a positional relationship between said first group of thumbnail images and said second group of thumbnail images. 
   
   
   
       2 .- 3 . (canceled) 
   
   
       4 . The GUI as in  claim 1  wherein said user input device is a control knob. 
   
   
       5 . The GUI as in  claim 4  wherein said thumbnail images are arranged in a top row and a bottom row and wherein scrolling said control knob in a first direction causes said highlight element to move sequentially from left to right over each of said thumbnail images in said top row and then to move sequentially from left to right over each of said thumbnail images in said bottom row. 
   
   
       6 . The GUI as in  claim 5  wherein when said highlight element reaches a rightmost thumbnail image in said bottom row, further scrolling of said control knob in said first direction causes said second group of thumbnail images to be displayed in said thumbnail region in place of said first group of thumbnail images. 
   
   
       7 . The GUI as in  claim 6  wherein when said second group of thumbnail images is displayed, said highlight region initially highlights a thumbnail image in a leftmost position of said top row. 
   
   
       8 . The GUI as in  claim 1  wherein said user input device is a cursor control element or a set of cursor control keys. 
   
   
       9 . The GUI as in  claim 1  further comprising:
 an empty image field in said thumbnail region where no thumbnail image exists; and   a corresponding empty image indication in said navigation map.   
   
   
       10 . The GUI as in  claim 1  further comprising:
 an indicator associated with said navigational map to indicate that portions of said navigational map are not currently viewable, said indicator further indicating a relative position of said portions of said navigation map.   
   
   
       11 . An article of manufacture including program code which, when executed by a machine, causes said machine to generate a graphical user interface (“GUI”) comprising:
 a thumbnail region for displaying a first group of thumbnail images;   a highlight element to highlight a specified one of said first group of thumbnail images responsive to a user input device;   a selection graphic associated with each of said thumbnail images to indicate which of said images have been selected by a user, wherein said selection graphic appears within and/or substantially proximate to said thumbnail image as a consequence of said user's action to highlight said thumbnail image and said selection graphic contains information specific to said highlighted thumbnail image including at least a graphical check box which may be selectively checked or unchecked by said user; and   a navigation map positioned adjacent to said thumbnail region for graphically displaying:
 an indication of a plurality of groups of thumbnail images, each group of said plurality discernable from one another and displayable in said thumbnail region at one time, said plurality of groups including:
 said first group of thumbnail images displayed on said thumbnail region; and 
 a second group of thumbnail images that are not currently displayed in said thumbnail region; 
 
 an indication of a particular thumbnail image currently being highlighted; 
 an indication of particular thumbnail images currently selected by said user; and 
 a positional relationship between said first group of thumbnail images and said second group of thumbnail images. 
   
   
   
       12 .- 13 . (canceled) 
   
   
       14 . The article of manufacture as in  claim 11  wherein said user input device is a control knob. 
   
   
       15 . The article of manufacture as in  claim 14  wherein said thumbnail images are arranged in a top row and a bottom row and wherein scrolling said control knob in a first direction causes said highlight element to move sequentially from left to right over each of said thumbnail images in said top row and then to move sequentially from left to right over each of said thumbnail images in said bottom row. 
   
   
       16 . The article of manufacture as in  claim 15  wherein when said highlight element reaches a rightmost thumbnail image in said bottom row, further scrolling of said control knob in said first direction causes said second group of thumbnail images to be displayed in said thumbnail region in place of said first group of thumbnail images. 
   
   
       17 . The article of manufacture as in  claim 16  wherein when said second group of thumbnail images is displayed, said highlight region initially highlights a thumbnail image in a leftmost position of said top row. 
   
   
       18 . The article of manufacture as in  claim 11  wherein said user input device is a cursor control element or a set of cursor control keys. 
   
   
       19 . The article of manufacture as in  claim 11  including additional program code to cause said machine to generate a GUI further comprising:
 an empty image field in said thumbnail region where no thumbnail image exists; and   a corresponding empty image indication in said navigation map.   
   
   
       20 . The article of manufacture as in  claim 11  including additional program code to cause said machine to generate a GUI further comprising:
 an indicator associated with said navigational map to indicate that portions of said navigational map are not currently viewable, said indicator further indicating a relative position of said portions of said navigation map.   
   
   
       21 . A system for processing graphical images comprising:
 combining means for combining said graphical images into a thumbnail region for displaying a first group of thumbnail images;   highlight movement means for moving a highlight element to highlight a specified one of said first group of thumbnail images responsive to a means for receiving user input;   a selection graphic associated with each of said thumbnail images to indicate which of said images have been selected by a user, wherein said selection graphic appears within and/or substantially proximate to said thumbnail image as a consequence of said user's action to highlight said thumbnail image and said selection graphic contains information specific to said highlighted thumbnail image including at least a graphical check box which may be selectively checked or unchecked by said user; and   navigation map indication means for moving an indication of the particular thumbnail image currently being highlighted within a navigation map positioned adjacent to said thumbnail region, said moving of said indication occurring concurrently with said moving of said highlight element, said navigational map indication means further graphically displaying within said navigational map:
 an indication of a plurality of groups of thumbnail images, each group of said plurality discernable from one another and displayable in said thumbnail region at one time, said plurality of groups including:
 said first group of thumbnail images displayed on said thumbnail region; and 
 a second group of thumbnail images that are not currently displayed in said thumbnail region; 
 
 an indication of a particular thumbnail image currently being highlighted; 
 an indication of particular thumbnail images currently selected by said user; and 
 a positional relationship between said first group of thumbnail images and said second group of thumbnail images. 
   
   
   
       22 .- 23 . (canceled) 
   
   
       24 . The system as in  claim 21  wherein said means for receiving user input comprises a control knob. 
   
   
       25 . The system as in  claim 24  wherein said thumbnail images are arranged in a top row and a bottom row and wherein scrolling said control knob in a first direction causes said highlight element to move sequentially from left to right over each of said thumbnail images in said top row and then to move sequentially from left to right over each of said thumbnail images in said bottom row. 
   
   
       26 . The system as in  claim 25  wherein when said highlight element reaches a rightmost thumbnail image in said bottom row, further scrolling of said control knob in said first direction causes said second group of thumbnail images to be displayed in said thumbnail region in place of said first group of thumbnail images. 
   
   
       27 . The system as in  claim 26  wherein when said second group of thumbnail images is displayed, said highlight region initially highlights a thumbnail image in a leftmost position of said top row. 
   
   
       28 . The system as in  claim 21  wherein said user input device is a cursor control element or a set of cursor control keys. 
   
   
       29 . The system as in  claim 21  further comprising:
 empty image field indication means in said thumbnail region where no thumbnail image exists; and   a corresponding empty image indication means within said navigation map.   
   
   
       30 . The system as in  claim 21  further comprising:
 hidden navigational map means associated with said navigational map to indicate that portions of said navigational map are not currently viewable, said hidden navigational map means further indicating a relative position of said portions of said navigation map.